Ben Hughes on how we can bring equity to the provision of financial services in the UK Continue reading
News
CDFIs generate £100m of ‘extra value’ for the local economy through RGF
Community lenders have generated over £100m in ‘extra economic value’ through a government-backed fund supporting small businesses and social enterprises in England.
Figures from the Community Development Finance Association (CDFA) have revealed that loans made by its members have delivered economic value worth more than five times the original funding [1].The funding has already secured over 2,600 jobs for English towns and cities, creating substantial benefits for the government and local economies.
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A new ecosystem for business funding-the rise of alternatives
Adam Tavener examines the growth of alternative finance and explains why he set up Alternative Business Funding to help SMEs Continue reading
Big news for Scotland’s social entrepreneurs
David Cousland explains why DSL Business Finance and Big Issue Invest are teaming up to bring finance to Scotland’s social enterprises Continue reading
Peak payday has passed – what next?
Niall Alexander of Moneyline discusses the implications of an interest rate cap for payday lenders Continue reading
Bank referral legislation is welcome news for SMEs
The CDFA welcomes George Osborne’s announcement that the Government will introduce legislation that will require banks to refer decline customers to alternative providers. The proposed new rules mean that high street banks will have to offer to connect SMEs that they decline for loans to alternative sources of finance. Continue reading
BBC Money Box Live: CDFIs
In today’s Money Box Live on BBC Radio 4, presenter Paul Lewis and Emma Jones, Founder of Enterprise Nation, described CDFIs as another alternative source of funding for small businesses. The transcript of the programme is… Continue reading
CDFA maps out how affordable credit can be available to all
Affordable credit should be accessible to everyone in every community across the UK, and the CDFA has set out how this vision should be realised. In its Just Finance report, published today, the CDFA maps the six steps that are needed to ensure we all have this basic right – of access to fair finance. Continue reading
A business kick start for social housing tenants
The CDFA and HACT are teaming up to bring finance and support to social housing tenants who want to start up in business. Callum Anderson of the CDFA explains how Continue reading
New community banking solution launched in Bristol
Work is underway to set up and test a simple and practical community finance partnership to deliver wide-ranging finance and support services in Bristol. The pilot project is being led by the South West Investment Group (SWIG), a community development finance institution (CDFI) that will partner with other services to present a viable and integrated alternative solution to fragmented mainstream finance and support services. Continue reading